In recent years I've relied almost exclusively on airport bank branches or my ATM card to purchase foreign currency once I've arrived abroad, and have not been stung. I've heard occasionally from people who had trouble finding compatible machines, and increasingly we need to be aware of extra charges that banks assess for using them (especially true if you're using a credit card rather than a debit card). Still, for those who want the comfort of having cash on hand when they arrive at a distant destination, several options are available that sidestep home banks or travel clubs whose primary job isn't international currency exchange. (Even with these, you'll have to consider, besides the exchange rate, delivery fees and any bank or credit card service charges.) Thomas Cook Currency Services, for instance, will take an order for foreign currency over the phone -- charged to a credit card -- and deliver it to your door. You also can have it delivered to a Thomas Cook branch office for pickup, but the company says 80 percent of people using this service have the currency delivered to their home or business. Call Thomas Cook's National Call Center at (800) 287-7362 to place an order. International Currency Express has a similar program. Phone (888) 278-6628 in Los Angeles or (888) 842-0880 in Washington, D.C. With a call to Travelex America at (800) 445-0295, you can arrange for pickup of your foreign currency at one of its dozens of airport locations around the United States. If you crave knowing what a currency is trading for in Barcelona, try this method: Go to the American Express site to find all the American Express offices around the world, including their phone numbers. By calling abroad, you can find out what's posted at that very moment and compare it with your other cash sources. Another financial services company is Oanda, whose online currency exchange converter offers many types of constantly updated exchange rates.

Do you have any information on purchasing time-share vacations? We are considering buying one at Disney but would like to know of anyone's experience in this area.

The reputation of timesharing has improved a lot in the past decade, partly because the public better understands the concept and is more wary of pitfalls -- including the fact that the resale market often isn't very good. The average quality of time-share units has improved as developers have added amenities and turned timesharing into a more solid vacation package rather than just the sale of motel space.

Another plus has been the entry of big companies such as Marriott International and Disney into the time-share business. The best way to learn from others' experience is through sites or publications that are clearinghouses for that type of info, such as the Timeshare Users Group, which examines resorts and many other time share-related topics. Another source is TimeSharing Today, a newsletter ($18 for 12 issues; (888) 463-7427) that offers tips on buying and selling, and reviews resorts. The Federal Trade Commission and the American Society of Travel Agents have produced "Timeshare Tips" and "Timeshare Resales," available by contacting Public Reference, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580; phone (202) 326-2222.
salon.com | May 6, 1999

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